سمعتheard صروفvicissitudes of الدهرtime قولthe words of العاتبthe reprover
سمعت صروف الدهر قول العاتب
وتجنبتand avoided حربwar with المليكthe king الحاربwho wages war
وتجنبت حرب المليك الحارب
The turns of fate heard the reprover's words,
I heard the turns of fate and the reproacher's words,
and shunned war with the warrior king.
And avoided the war of the battling king,
وتجافتand drew away الأيامthe days عنfrom مطلوبهwhat he sought
وتجافت الأيام عن مطلوبه
وماand nothing ردهturned him back أكرمhow noble بهhe is منas a طالبseeker
وما رده أكرم به من طالب
And the days drew back from what he sought,
And the days turned away from what he sought,
and nothing turned him back—how noble a seeker!
Yet no seeker honored him more than he who asked.
هوhe منthe one whom عرفنthey knew فلوso if عصاهdisobeyed him نهارهhis day
هو من عرفن فلو عصاه نهاره
لرماهwould strike it نقعthe dust of جيوشهhis armies بغياهبwith deep darkness
لرماه نقع جيوشه بغياهب
He is the one they know; were his day to disobey him,
He who knew us - even if he were to disobey by day,
his armies' dust would strike it with deep darkness.
His armies would pelt his enemies with darkness.
وإذاand when سطاhe attacked أضحتbecame قلوبthe hearts of عداتهhis enemies
وإذا سطا أضحت قلوب عداته
تلوىare twisted كمخراقlike a cloth whip بكفيin the two hands of لاعبa player
تلوى كمخراق بكفي لاعب
And when he attacks, his enemies' hearts become
And when he is relaxed, the hearts of his enemies
twisted like a cloth whip in a player's hands.
Writhe like a toy in the hands of a playing boy.
منwho ذاthis one يناديrivals الناصرal-Nasir الملكthe king الذيwho
من ذا ينادي الناصر الملك الذي
فيin كفهhis palm بحراtwo seas of ردىdeath ومواهبand gifts
في كفه بحرا ردى ومواهب
Who can rival al-Nasir, the king
Who is there to call on the victorious king in whose hand
in whose palm lie two seas—death and gifts?
Are storms of generosity and gifts?
وإذاand when سرىhe marched by night خلتI imagined البسيطةthe earth لجّةa deep sea
وإذا سرى خلت البسيطة لجّة
أمواجهاits waves بيضhelmets وبيضٌand white swords قواضبkeen-cutting
أمواجها بيض وبيضٌ قواضب
And when he marches by night, I imagine the earth a deep sea,
And when he marched forth, the plain became
its waves are helmets and white, keen-edged swords.
Waves - white, and boats white.
ملكpossessed القلوبthe hearts محبةthrough love ومهابةand awe
ملك القلوب محبة ومهابة
فاقتادهاso he led them طوعاwillingly بهيبةwith the awe of غاضبone enraged
فاقتادها طوعا بهيبة غاضب
He won hearts through love and awe,
The love and awe of hearts are the possessions of a king Who thus easily leads them, out of awe, though wrathful.
and led them in willing obedience, with the fearsome presence of one enraged.
Partial English translation: 13 of 14 Arabic lines translated.